Ballads
Ballads are poems, usually expressed through musical stanzas that tell a story. Readers and listeners from children to adults, all socioeconomic classes and education levels enjoy ballads from the Middle Ages to the present day. Ballads tell stories of a time in which the composer lived. They may be stories about families, fisherman, poor-men, love, heroes, and working classes. Some are funny and some are satirical. The poems or stories are not sophisticated; rather they draw on emotion. People are drawn to folklore and/or a belief in the supernatural. They are moved by the tragedy of loved ones, stirred by acts of bravery, raged by acts of violence, comforted by justice that prevails and humored by good-natured squabbles and quick whit. The main characteristic of a ballad is the beginning usually tells the end of the story. In the Middle Age era, there is little to no background material given and little is known about the characters before the central event is told. Many stories recounted events that were well known to their audience so it was unnecessary to give background information or identify the characters by name. If the story was about a certain king he was simply referred to as "the king" and everyone kne
Characters usually take on noble or heroic behaviors and the plots include supernatural and fantasy adventures. The stanza is generally a four or five line phrase that may or may not rhyme. Today's ballads tell more moving and dramatic tales and have the use of more complex system of symbols. (Refrain) Mama was a looker Lord, how she shined Papa was a good'n But the Jealous kind Papa loved Mama Mama loved men Mama's in the graveyard Papa's in the pen" The first ballad is a longer story, giving little background to the characters, and with use of the repetitious last line tells the climax of the story. These are very common themes that continue to prevail in ballad literature. Everyone can tell a story; not everyone can author a ballad in a manner, which will capture an audience who will repeat the ballad for years. The first, from the Middle Ages, tells the story of a wife in love with her husband and she finds him cheating on her. It is this difference which allows poets, singers and artists to keep the art of ballads special and entertaining to all audiences. Garth Brooks' ballad is reverse, the husband catches the wife cheating on him. Many of these are centered on romance. Papa called Mama each and every night Just to ask her how she was and if us kids were all right. The ending is the same in both ballads; one of the spouses ends up dead and the other in jail. "Frankie and Johnny" has four-line stanzas with the refrain at the end of each verse: "Frankie and Johnny were lovers Oh, Lordy, how they could love.
Common topics in this essay:
Middle Age,
Middle Ages,
Ages Characters,
Mama Mama,
Loves Papa,
,
Oh Lordy,
Frankie Johnny,
Garth Brooks',
Refrain Mama,
middle ages,
modern day,
tell story,
background information,
middle age,
frankie johnny,
modern day ballad,
refrain verse,
ballads tell,
stories told,
tells story,
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Acceptance Essays
